Fire-alarm



J. G. P. MGGRIPF.

(No Model.)

FIRE ALARM.

No. 482,379. Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. F. MOGRIFF, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,379, datedSeptember 13,1892. Application filed September 1, 1891. Serial No.ILOILAZO. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. F. .MOGRIFF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and. State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Fire-Reporter, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide cheap, simple, and permanentmeans which can be convenientlyapplied to dwellings,warehouses, ships,ships cargoes, &c., to report fires immediately they originate.

My invention relates particularly to that class of fire-reporters inwhich a charge of explosive is designed to be exploded by means of afuse arranged to be ignited by the fire.

My invention consists, essentially, in a firereporter of this classhaving its fuse inelosed and protected from the atmosphere and frominjury of other kinds by a fuse-protecting case, which is secured to theexplosive-containing shell of the reporter and is adapted to be brokenby the action of the fire, thus to expose the fuse to the fire forignition.

It also consists in the peculiar construction and combination of partshereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plain front view of my invention ready for attachment to abuilding. Fig. 2 is a mid-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a midsection ofthe outside shell with the fastening attachment secured thereto. Fig. 4is a like sectional view of the inner shell. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the outer shell, and Fig. 6 is a like view of the inner shell.Fig. 7 is a side view of my improvement incased in a woodenprotecting-block supplied with means for suspending the block, so as toapply my invention to the protection of stores or cargoes by suspendingthe device between the bales and boxes of such cargoes or stores. Fig. 8shows another form in which the device is fastened to a wall by means ofa wooden block recessed to receive the reporter and secured to the wallby screws. Fig. 9 is a View of the bottom of Fig. 8.

My invention, as shown, consists, essentially, of a torpedo or explosiveshell A, provided with a fuse B and with a glass fuse-protecting case ortube 0, which contains the projecting fuse and is adapted to be brokenby the action of fire.

It also comprises the special combination of parts whereby I securecheapness of construction combined with lasting qualities.

The outer shell or case a is open at one end and closed at the other andis provided in its wall with the fuse-ease hole I). The inner shell D isopen at one end and closed at the other and is provided with thefuse-case socket d and with the fuse-opening L in such socket.

In putting the device together the outer shell a is placed upon theinner one D. The outer shell is preferably just deep enough to chamberthe inner shell, and when the two are fitted together the hole I) ismade to coincide with the mouth of the fuse-case socket d. The walls ofthe two cases are flattened, as shown at f, so that no care will berequired to adjust the parts to make the hole I) and the mouth atcoincide. When fitted together, the two cases are secured to each otherby solder. Then the case is filled with powder through the fuse-openingL, which may be made as large as the opening in the end of the glasstube 0, if desired. When the case is filled, the fuse is inserted andthe fuse-tube, which is open at its inner end and closed at its outerend, is placed over the fuse and is screwed into its socket andhermetically sealed.

In practice the reporters are secured to the walls of a building innumerous places at points where fire might occur. They may be nailed orscrewed to the walls or other portion of the house through the medium ofthe ears E, which project from the sides of the shell. These ears, asshown, are formed at the ends of a metal strip, which is soldered to oneface of the shell. When the reporter is to be placed within the walls,there is no need of further protection than that afforded by the walls;but when it is placed in an exposed position it is well to give itadditional protection. This I secure by meansof the devices illustratedin Figs. 7, 8, and 9.

In Fig. 7, G is a wooden case chambered to receive the reporter, theglass tube of which extends to the bottom, so as to be exposed. Dottedlines indicate the position of the reporter. H is a lid secured to thecase by screws.

I is a Wire arranged to suspend the case in the desired position.

In Fig. 8 the reporter, which is shown in dotted lines, is shownprovided with a wire fastener J, instead of the eyes E. This fastenerconsists simply of a wire wound about the case or shell and secured in atwist at j.

The operation of the reporter is as follows: \Vhen fire comes intocontact with the glass tube, it breaks it and ignites the fuse, whichignites the explosive which gives the alarm. In order to increase thecertainty of explosion, a gun-cap K may be placed in the glass tube, sothat if the heat does not break the tube the fulininate of the cap mayexplode, and thus break the tube and admit the flame to the fuse.

The case is preferably made of pressed metal. The tube should be madequite thin in order to be easily broken by the hea The object ofhermetically sealing the device is to prevent deterioration from theaction of air as time elapses. The glass tube also affords protectionagainst mice and rats and other destructive agencies, which mightotherwise render the reporter of no value.

I am aware that automatic fire-alarms have been provided with a shell orcasing, a charge of explosive, and a fuse, and I therefore make no broadclaim to such a combination.

My alarm differs from all prior devices of which I am aware in that thefuse is inclosed within a casing adapted to be broken by the heat,whereby the fuse and the charge of explosive are protected againstmoisture and dampness, which would render the device useless.

Now, having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-alarm, the combination, with a shell or casing containingan explosive, of a fuse and a fuse-protecting case inclosing the fuseand secured to the shell or casing and projecting outward therefrom,said fuse-protecting case being adapted to be broken by an undue rise intemperature.

2. In combination with the outer shell (1,

provided with the hole Z), the inner shell pro-

